Multimedia vs Hypermedia
Both multimedia and hypermedia are common terms in our technical jargons, and though their meaning may seem to coincide, there is a significant difference between the two concepts. Multimedia is the presentation of text, graphics, animations, audio, and video using computers in an integrated manner, in computers, whereas hypermedia is the compilation of the above media in an interconnected manner. In one perspective hypermedia is a subset of multimedia.
More about Multimedia
In general, multimedia is the use of computers or related devices to present text, audio, video, animation, interactive features, and still images. Multimedia is divided into linear and nonlinear media. Media with linear content progresses without any control or change from user like a movie in a theatre. With non-linear multimedia systems, the media are interacting with the user and responds to the user inputs. Hypermedia is an application of multimedia with non-linear content.
A slide presentation is an elementary level example of the multimedia, where information is presented as graphics or animations, integrated with sound or video. This comprehensive approach of presentation yields wide application of multimedia in modern society.
Education is a major field utilizing multimedia where training is provided over multimedia content. Such trainings are known as Computer Based Trainings. In engineering and sciences, graphical simulations are used to model real scenarios or phenomena to give a better understanding. In medicine, surgery is trained using a virtual environment without directly affecting a human. Pilots and other personnel with demanding performance can be trained with virtual environments, where the systems are based on multimedia technologies.
More about Hypermedia
Hypermedia is the use of text, data, graphics, audio and video as elements of an extended hypertext system in which all elements are linked, where the content is accessible via hyperlinks. Text, audio, graphics, and video are interconnected to each other creating a compilation of information that is generally considered as non-linear system. The modern world wide web is the best example for the hypermedia, where the content is most of the time interactive hence non-linear. Hypertext is a subset of hypermedia, and the term was first used by Ted Nelson in 1965.
Hypermedia content can be developed using specified software such as Adobe Flash, Adobe Director and Macromedia Authorware. Some business software as Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office Suite offers limited hypermedia features with hyperlinks embedded in the document itself.
Difference Between Multimedia and Hypermedia
• Multimedia is the presentation of media as text, images, graphics, video, and audio by the use of computers or the information content processing devices (ex. Smart phones)
• Hypermedia is the use of advanced form of hypertext like interconnected systems to store and present text, graphics and other media types where the content is linked to each other by hyperlinks
• Multimedia can be in linear or non-linear content format, but the hypermedia is only in non-linear content format
• Hypermedia is an application of multimedia, hence a subset of multimedia